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Running, whether outdoors or on a treadmill, is a high-impact exercise that can be tough on your knees. When selecting a treadmill, look for features that will help preserve the health of your knees. Don't become addicted to treadmill running as moderation is key to reducing your risk of knee damage. If you have suffered a previous knee injury, talk to your doctor before starting a treadmill workout routine.

Impact on Knees

The knees are a complex system of joints and are susceptible to injury because of the weight they are required to bear. High-impact exercise like running creates a great deal of stress on your knees. The repetitive motion required to maintain speed on a treadmill places extra strain on your knees. Over time and with heavy treadmill use, this can increase the risk of stress injuries to the knees.

Important Treadmill Features

Assess the treadmill belt padding for its shock-absorbent qualities because proper cushioning can help protect your knee health. When first running on a treadmill, you may be inclined to shorten your stride, which can increase the stress on your knees. Make sure the treadmill running surface is long enough and wide enough to accommodate your natural running stride to reduce injury risk. And while you may feel tempted to run at the front of the treadmill, this can shorten your stride. Instead, run in the middle so you can take natural strides.

Road Running vs. Treadmill

The treadmill's cushioned platform absorbs more of the impact than running on the typical road running surface of concrete or asphalt. The advantage of road running is that the terrain is variable, so the risk of repetitive motion injury is reduced. Because each style of running has benefits and consequences, try including both forms in your fitness regimen, but always in moderation.

Reduce Injury Risk

Keep your treadmill running sessions short, ideally under 30 minutes at a time to reduce wear and tear on your knees. Run outdoors on natural terrain when the weather allows. The novel movements of an outdoor run will help balance out the repetitive movement required during a treadmill workout. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends five minutes of warm-up exercises like jogging in place or jumping jacks in order to safely stretch your muscles before running. Stretch again after your run to support knee flexibility. Wear shoes with good shock absorption; extra support is necessary if you have flat arches. Avoid the vertical running motion common in treadmill runners and maintain a more natural, forward-leaning posture to reduce the risk of knee damage.

About the Author

Joy Johnston has been an online journalist since 2005. She has served as senior producer for the health news website Sharecare and as a digital producer for the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution," where she helped develop the health channel. Johnston has also covered ways to stay fit in Atlanta.